Off-duty Lockport cop charged in fatal Stevenson crash

December 21, 2009

One of the vehicles involved in Sunday night's fatal crash on the Stevenson. (WGN-Ch.9)

An off-duty Lockport police officer was charged Monday night with reckless homicide and drunk driving in connection with a three-car crash that killed an immigrant from Vietnam who was driving home on the Stevenson Expressway from his second job.

Edward Stapinski, 34, was charged with one count each of reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence, said Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.

Stapinski was driving southbound on Interstate 55 near Cicero Avenue when his vehicle veered onto the left shoulder and struck the cement median barrier at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Illinois State Police said.

The vehicle catapulted over the median wall and struck head-on into a northbound car driven by Man K. Wong, state police said.

Stapinski's vehicle then rolled over and struck a third vehicle driven by a Chicago woman, state police said.

Wong, 29, who went by "Mike," was pronounced dead at 10:16 p.m. at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Stapinski was taken to the same hospital in good condition, while the third driver was not hospitalized, state police said.

The collision shut down all lanes of inbound I-55 for about five hours while officials investigated and cleaned up debris.

Wong was driving to his Chinatown home from his weekend job at a restaurant in south suburban Bridgeview.

Wong's aunt, Betty, was upset to learn that the crash involved a police officer. "A police officer," she said in a strained voice before pausing. "What can I say?

"How would you feel if it was your family member who walked out the door and never came back home?" she said.

The Lockport Police Department had little to say other than to confirm that Stapinski was a police officer for seven years and had been injured in the crash. The department also extended its condolences to Wong's family.

Conklin said he didn't know what Stapinski's blood-alcohol level was at the time of the crash. The legal limit is 0.08.

Stapinski is expected to appear in bond court on Tuesday morning at the Bridgeview courthouse, Conklin said.

It marks at least the second time this year that an allegedly drunk off-duty police officer has been involved in a fatal crash on Chicago expressways.